Tablet counting and bottling machine



y 1954 J. FRADENBURGH TABLET COUNTING AND BOTTLING MACHINE 8Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 12, 1949 HI I IHH IHI I May 25, 1 54 J.FRADENBURGH TABLET COUNTING AND BOTTLING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledMay 12, 1949 Ira/377602 JoFzrz Fradefi May 25, 1954 J. FRADENBURGHTABLET COUNTING AND BOTTLING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 12, 1949.720672207 (70. 2% Fmmierz 72 a F N 3 WJfi/QWM f 0523 s.

8 Sheets-Sheet 4 J. FRADENBURGH TABLET COUNTING AND BOTTLING MACHINE May25, 1954 Filed May 12, 1949 Jkaarzzor 127222 lkaaarzm &

May 25, 1954 J. FRADENBURGH TABLET COUNTING AND BOTTLING MACHINE.

8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 12, 1949 May 25, 1954 J. FRADENBURGH TABLETCOUNTING AND BOTTLING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Zwarzzbw Ja/fiizfimzzjaz/2 ,3, fKJM/MJA mm Filed May 12, 1949 y 1954 J. FRADENBURGH TABLETCOUNTING AND BOTTLING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed May 12, 1949 JaZzrzyv 1954 J. FRADENBURGH 2,679,342

TABLET COUNTING AND BOTTLING MACHINE Filed May 12, 1949 8 Sheets-Sheet 8m4: mm

. 1 v CAM T0 CLUTCH RAT/0 %z i 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 IO ll [2 ACTIVECONTAl/Vfi'R FEED cm! 24 AND CLUTCH 5 ACTIVE w CAM 23 AND CLUTCH AFILL/1V6 AND TRANSFER can To cu/rcH RAT/0 f J 3 ua l My 0922;?

Patented May 25, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TABLET COUNTING ANDBOTTLING MACHINE sachusetts Application May 12, 1949, Serial No. 92,918

8 Claims.

The present invention relates to apparatus for loading containers withdetermined quantities of more or less uniform articles and objects of ageneral rounded, globular or disk-like form such as tablets, pills,wafers and the like. While the containers may be other than bottles andthe goods may be of various types, the apparatus of the invention willfor convenience be referred to generally as a tablet counting andbottling machine.

The invention aims to provide an improved automatic machine of the classdescribed, adapted to convey tablets from a supply mass, individuallysegregate them to the desired number and place the selected quantity incontainers or bottles successively presented in multiples and forwardedafter filling, all with avoidance of crushing and with minimumopportunity for objectionable injury to the articles. In numerousrespects this invention improves upon that of U. S. Patent No. 2,284,975to Homer, dated June 2, 1942.

In the drawings illustrating one embodiment of the invention by Way ofexample:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the machine as a whole;

Fig. 2 is a corresponding right side elevation of the Fig. 1 machine;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation with parts in section of the upper portionof the machine, upon a larger scale illustrating the tablet supplyhopper and the tablet conveying, selecting, counting and loading means.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section corresponding to Fig. 3 takensubstantially centrally thereof;

Fig. 5 shows in plan the base assembly including the main drivemechanism;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation, partly in section corresponding to Fig. 5;

Figs. 7 and 8 respectively are a plan view and a side elevation of thebottle conveyor;

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional detail on the line 8-9 of Fig. 7;

Figs. 10, 11 and 12 illustrate the transfer means for the filledcontainers or bottles, Fig. 10 being a plan View, Fig. 11 a verticalcross-section and Fig. 12 a partial side elevation;

Fig. 13 is a timing diagram showing the operational relation of theseveral mechanisms; and

Fig. 14 illustrates certain cams and clutchcontrolling fingers.

The article delivery and container advancing apparatus as a wholecomprises a plurality of coordinated and synchronized sub-assembliesmutually operating to present accurately filled containers in rapidsuccession. In general the apparatus includes a basal frame and housingI, Figs. 1, 2 and 5, containing main drive and control devices andpresenting above it a longitudinal table 53 along which the containersherein shown as bottle C are advanced in rows intermittently to afilling station S. There each container of the given row receives adetermined number of the articles. Each filled container row is thenadvanced beyond the filling station while simultaneously the next emptyrow of containers C is presented thereat. The filled containers arethereafter transferred to a delivery station which may comprise afurther conveying device taking them to any subsequent operation such asclosing, packaging or the like.

The main support I further presents above the container handling table53 a frame and housing 5 for an upper assembly at which the tablets orother articles T (Fig. 3) are supplied in a random mass, conveyed inappropriate quantity for individual orienting, and then counted and fedinto the appropriate container. Principal elements of thisarticle-presenting under assembly, noting particularly Figs. 3 and 4,include a supply hopper 33, an underlying article conveyor 34 conductingquantities of the articles to a positioner or agitator means hereincomprising a continuously rotating uni-directional agitator roll 39,together with feed chutes 45 and single-article counters 49. This upperassembly whereby selected counts of the articles T are loaded into thecontainers C is correlated with container feed mechanism and containertransfer mechanism, all to be more fully described.

Referring first to the base assembly and the drive and counter mechanismthereof, noting particularly Figs. 5 and 6 together with Figs. 1 and 2,power is supplied by a variable speed main drive shown as a motor l3transmitting at l3 to a speed reducer unit [4 having a drive gear 55 atthe output end. This gear [5 actuates two clutch units designatedgenerally at A and B respectively, the drive gear I5 meshing with a gear16 fast with the continuously moving part of clutch A, and the gear ISin turn meshing with a similar gear I! fast on the continuous or inputpart of clutch B. Turning with the gear I? is a pinion i'lb meshing witha larger gear l8 fast on a shaft I9 journalled in suitable brackets onthe base or frame I and having fixed at the opposite end an intermediatepinion 29. The latter in turn meshes with a larger gear 2| on a stud 22paralleling the shaft i9 and supported on the frame or suitable bracketsthereon.

The stud 22 also provides bearing support for a pair of rotary cams 23and 25 (see also Fig. 14) arranged to turn with the gear 2i. As seenplan in Fig. 5 and in end view in Fig. 6, the earns 23 and 24 arerespectively associated with rock shafts 25 and 26, one for each of theclutch units A and B and whereby the latter are rendered transmissivelyoperative or inoperative at appropriate intervals. The cam '23 tracksagainst a cam roll 27 and the cam 24 similarly operates with a cam roll28 on roll-carrier arms 2-1", 23"

adjustably fixed respectively on the rock shafts 25 and 26. The latteralso have thereon adjacent the respective clutches A and B clutchoperating fingers 29 and 30 cooperating with the respective clutchplates whereby the clutch output shafts 3| and 32 are actively clutchedor unclutched so as to drive or to remain at rest at the proper times.As seen in Fig. 5, also Fig. 1, the selectively driven clutch shafts 3iand 32 extend at opposite ends of the laterally aligned clutch units Aand B. The cams 23, 24 have a determined speed ratio with respect to theclutches A, B, as for example 1 to 5 and. the drive is so arranged thatone revolution of the cams, which turn in synchrony, corresponds to oneoperating cycle for the machine.

The cams 23 and 24 are shaped, proportioned and. arranged to provide forone controlled shaft, herein the shaft 3! of clutch A, a plurality ofrevolutions followed by a halt period during which the controlled shaft32. of the other unit, herein clutch B, is caused to turn. In theillustrated embodiment the relation may for example be such that theshaft 3| of clutch A makes. four revolutions and then rests while theshaft 32 of clutch B. makes one revolution and thereby completes onemachine cycle.

Referring particularly to Fig. 14 it will be seen that the rise of cam23 extends for something over two-thirds of the periphery, herein forslightly more than 250 of are. As this rise comes under the cam rollerZ'i' the shaft 25 is rocked to carry the clutch operating finger 29-back out of engagement with the control member or clutch plate of clutchA and thereby permitting engagement of this clutch. The cam roller 2!drops olf the cam rise 23 after three. revolutions of clutch A and itsshaft 3!, allowing the finger 29 to re-engage. the edge of the clutchplate in readiness to latch and unclutch the shaft 3! at the end of thefourth revolution thereof. In timed sequence the other cam roll 28 ismet by a rise 24?]. of cam 24, having a relatively short angular extent.Motion is thereby imparted to rock shaft 26 to shift the operatingfinger 33 of clutch B away from the clutch plate of the latter andeffecting clutch engagement. Shortly thereafter the cam roll 28 ridesoff the present rise 23c rendering the operating finger 30. so as tohave latching engagement with the plate of clutch B and unclutch thelatter and its shaft. 32 at the end of one revolution thereof, therebycompleting one machine cycle.

Turning now to the upper assembly and the article segregating, countingand delivering mechanism thereof, Figs. 1, 2 and particularly 3 and i,the upper frame and housing 5 comprises at the top thereof a hopper 33previously mentioned having downwardly inclined walls defining anappropriately restricted outlet 33'. The tablets or other articles T aredropped in an indiscriminate mass into this hopper. From it they passvia exit 33 ontoa generally horizontal belt conveyor 34. The upper runof this article conveyor desirably is supported as at 34' at thearticle-receiving region below the hopper.

This article conveyor 34 is driven intermittently by operatingconnections herein including a ratchet mechanism 35 having an adjustableoperating crank 36 driven through gearing connection from the shaft 3|of clutch A.. The volume of articles and the rate of presentationthereof from the hopper is governed by this intermittently movingconveyor. Excess articles are restrained by adjustable means overlyingthe conveyor 34 beyond the hopper exit 33'. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4such means comprises a downwardly directed brush 3! of a width to extendacross the conveyor belt 34 and hung on arms 31a demountably fixed on anadjusting shaft 311; mounted on the upper assembly frame 5. This shafthas fixed at one end outside the frame a slotted yoke 3T0 adjustablyheld by a threaded stud and whereby the brush supporting shaft 3'") maybe adjustably turned to raise or lower the operative position of thebrush element 31.

Beyond the conveyor 34 the articles are deposited onto and passed downalong an inclined guide or plate 33 and onto a continuously rotatingagitator or orienting roll 39 the rotation of which is contra to thedownward advancing movement of the articles received. from the guide 38,as indicated by the small arrow on Fig. 4. As viewed in said figure thedirection of rotation of the agitator roll is clockwise. This agitatorroll 39 having a horizontal axis is disposed with its periphery adjacentand in predetermined spaced relation to a vertical plate herein. shownas a glass or other transparent window 63 defining one wall for aplurality of feed chutes to which the articles are directed. Theopposite or inner wall for this feed area is defined by a back plate 44extending downwardly from a position closely adjacent the agitator roll39. The upper portion of the feed space between the two plates,designated at 4| in Fig. 4, is not laterally subdivided but isproportioned to receive the articles or tablets only in a verticalposition with the main faces flatwise and paralleling the plates 43, M.The spacing between the agitator roll 39 and the outer plate or window3'3 also affords just enough clearance to position the tablets inv thedescribed manner, as they are oriented by the reversely and continuouslyrotating orienting roll 39.

In the illustrated embodiment the orienting roll 39 is driven in the onedirection as described by a motor as in the upper assembly housing 5 andoperating through a reduction unit 40a and gear train designatedgenerally at 40b, best seen at the left in Fig. 3. This gear trainterminates in a pinion 430 on the projecting end of the shaft 39a of theorienting roll 39 whereby during operation of the motor the roll isrotated always in the direction counter to the downward advance of thetablets T along the inclined guide 38.

Below the orienting roll 39 and the top space 4! between. the windowplate 43 and. back plate 44 the relatively narrow vertical space definedbetween said plates is divided into a series of vertical channels orchutes 46 between divider walls or guide plates 31, Fig. 3. One suchchute 46 is provided for each of the maximum number of containers C in arow thereof which is to be filled in one operation. At the entrances tothe chutes 45 oscillatory means is provided to assist in entering thetablets T in single vertical lines or stacks into the several chutes 46.Said means comprises a series of agitator disks 42, one between each twoadjacent chutes 46 and so arranged that an edge portion of one agitatordisk is operatively disposed at least at one side of each chute. 'I'heagitator disks 42 which may have a knurled or other tablet-engaging edgeformation energize the tablets adequately to prevent jamming or bridgingat the chute entrances. The several agitator disks 42, as best seen inFig. 4, are carried on short shafts 42a journalled in the upper portionof the back plate i4 and in a bracket 42b on the latter. Oscillation isimparted to said shafts by pinions 42c thereon meshing with a drive rack45 slidably supported on the bracket 42b and reciprocated by a pitmanand crank device 55a, Fig. 3. The latter is driven from one of theelements of the gear train 401) previously mentioned.

In each chute 45 the tablets T descend in a single continuous line to acounting mechanism. As best seen in Figs. 3 and 4 such means comprisesfor each chute a rotary segregating or counter element 48 illustrated asa star-like disk or wheel. Pockets between the teeth thereof areappropriately shaped each to receive and to advance one single articleor tablet T along an arcuate path defined by the peripheral portion ofthe respective counter 43 and a conformant guide Wall 48 within whichthe counter is rotated in the advancing direction, noting the arrows onFig. 3.

The several rotary counters Q8 are driven through a variable gearingunit designated generally at 50 at the right in Fig. 3 and seen also inFig. 4, this unit serving also to actuate the crank and ratchetmechanism 35, 36 for the conveyor belt 34 previously described. It isdriven through a vertical shaft 3m, see also Figs. 5 and 6 having at thelower end a pinion 3|?) meshing with gear 3E0 fast on the output shaft3! of the clutch A. A gear 56a at the upper end of the shaft Sla drivesa small gear 55b fast on the same shaft with a larger gear 550. Thelatter meshes with a change gear 58d engaging an intermediate gear Eliehaving coaxial with it a drive gear 59/. The latter meshes with theinitial gear 48a of a series thereof on the respective shafts of thecounters 66. As evident on Fig. 3 the counters 48 and the respectivegears therefor are for compactness arranged at two levels and the driveis from the first gear 45a on one level to the adjacent gear 430; of theother level and so on through the series. In this instance the counters48 turn oppositely in the two levels or banks thereof, and the counterpockets are oppositely arranged, as clearly seen at the lower right inFig. 3.

Below the counters 48 the tablets T pass through further channels orchutes ita: including lower or delivery portions 48x appropriatelyinclined to direct each line of the individually counted tablets to thecorresponding bottle or container C in the given row thereof then at thefilling station E. In the present example each row of containers C isillustrated as comprising ten bottles or the like, there being a likenumber of the counters and presenting chutes to accommodate the maximumnumber of containers in a row. Obviously a greater or less number ofcounters and chutes may be provided according to the multiple ofcontainers desired to be handled in one counting and filling operation.

The vertical shaft Sic furnishing the drive for the counters (and forthe intermitting belt conveyor described) may also serve to operate acorn tainer vibrating mechanism, Figs. 3 and l. As shown this comprisesa reciprocating bar 52 with lateral fingers 52a projecting between andengageable with the upper portions of the containers so as to shake themduring filling, insuring adequate receiving space and distribution ofthe counted load of tablets for the given bottle. The shaker bar 52,which is slidably guided at the rear of the delivery chutes 46x has apin and slot connection 522) at one end thereof receiving oscillatoryactuation from an eccentric or cam 52m on the shaft 31a.

It will be understood that the tablet conveying, distributing, countingand supplying action as above described takes place during that majorportion of each machine cycle during which the clutch A is engaged for anumber of revolutions, four in the disclosed example. At the completionof this major portion of the total machine cycle the conveyor andcounter elements of the described tablet supplying mechanism are halted,also if desired the orienting roll 39 and the agitator disks 62 bysuitable switch control (not shown) for the motor 48, and the containerfeed mechanism is thereupon activated.

As already noted, the containers or bottles 0 are advanced in successiverows along the table 53, each row in turn being halted at the fillingstation S below the row of feed chutes 46. For convenient reference thatend of the machine at which the containers are supplied to the table,manually or otherwise, is herein called the front, toward which the feedchute window 43 faces, namely that portion facing the viewer in Figs. 1and 3, and shown at the left on Figs. 2, 4, 5, 7 and 8.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 7, 8 and 9, the latter on sheet1, the successive rows of bottles 0 pass from the front of the machineand along the table 53 from left to right in said Figs. '7 and 8.channel defined between a series of adjustable separator bars 54. Theouter bars 5% are adjustably set at opposite sides of the longitudinalcenter line of the table 53 as appropriate for the opposite end units ineach row of bottles. Correct spacing between bottles in the given row ismaintained by the intermediate bars 54 which desirably are flexiblestrips having the front ends held in blocks 54 laterally adjustablealong a cross bar 54", Fig. 7. Each row of bottles is advanced by one ofthe series of pusher bars 55 extending across the table above thechannel strips 54. Conveyor chains 56, one along each side of the table53 support the pusher means 55 through upright attaching fingers 51; seeFig. 8.

At the front and rear ends the conveyor chains 56 pass around sprockets58, the front sprockets being fast on an idler shaft 59 rotatably andadjustably mounted on the table 53. The rear chain sprockets are fast ona drive shaft 60, at the right in Figs. 7 and 8, having fixed at one enda drive sprocket 6|, at the upper right in Fig. '7. As seen in Figs. 1,5, 6, 10 and 11 the sprocket 6| is driven by a chain 62 extendingdownwardly and around a sprocket 63 on a short shaft 64 mounted in thelower housing portion of the machine adjacent the output shaft 32 ofclutch B. The latter drives said lower sprocket 63 through suitablegearing 65.

It will be understood that the several bottleforwarding members orpusher bars 55 of the series are spaced along the conveyor chains 56 sothat each intermittent movement of the chains as controlled by clutch Bwill move an approaching row of bottles G into the filling station SEach bottle is guided along a below the chutes 46, Fig. 4, with theindividual bottles vertically aligned with a corresponding chute of theseries. At the same time the row of filled bottles previously at thestation S are further advanced beyond the latter. In Fi '7 and 8, alsoFig. 9, but one pusher 55 is shown while in Fig. 4 a succession of themis seen in cross-section, extending from a location prior to the fillingor tablet-delivering station S and beyond it to or toward the locationat which the rows of filled bottles are transferred out from the bottleconveyor mechanism.

The intermittent advance of the bottle conveyor mechanism as statedoccurs during the minor portion of the total machine operating cycleduring which the clutch B is engaged for one revolution. Following eachstep by the bottle conveyor the clutch B as explained is disengaged. Thebottle conveyor then is halted for the larger portion of the machinecycle during which the clutch A is operative and the filling actiontakes place, and also the transferring of a filled row of bottles outfrom the bottle conveyor.

The transfer mechanism for the successive rows of loaded bottlesarriving intermittently at the rear portion of the loading table 53 isindicated in Figs. 1 and 2 and in more detail in Figs. 10, 11 and 12. Asillustrated it moves the loaded bottles laterally off from the table 53,delivering them to one or the other side of the machine, preferably toanother conveyor such as 90 for advancing to a cartoning station orother operations. Merely by Way of example delivery is shown herein astoward the right as viewed from the front of the machine on the figuresnoted. On Fig. 7 the location of this loadedbottle transfer mechanismdesignated as a whole by the numeral 10 is represented by a broken lineand associated numeral 10.

This filled-bottle transfer mechanism it is operated through a verticalshaft H seen in section at the upper right in Fig. and appearing also inFigs. 1, 2, 6, 10, 11 and 12; The lower end of the shaft H, Figs. 5 and6, has fixed on it'a gear 12 meshing with a pinion 1 2a on acountershaft 13. A sprocket 14 on said shaft 13 is driven by a chain 15passing around a corresponding sprocket !4 on the output shaft 3| ofclutch A. Thus the transfer drive shaft H is actuated during the periodswhen the clutch A is operatively engaged, simultaneously with a tabletfilling operation or a portion thereof.

The upper end of the transfer drive shaft ll carries a horizontalsprocket 76, Figs. to 12, cooperating with a similar sprocket 16 at theopposite side of the machine, herein at the left, Figs. 1, 10 and 11.The transfer conveyor shown in. the form of a chain 80 passes aroundthis sprocket pair l6, l6 and has a number of equally spacedbottle-engaging elements or fingers of which three are shown in thepresent example at 80A, 80B and 800. Each includes a horizontal portion8| attached to and projecting horizontally from the transfer chain 80and an adjustable vertical portion 82 for pushing contact with the endbottle of a row. The transfer chain 80 and the several pusher elements80A, B and C thereon are guided and aligned as by guides 84 extendingtransversely of the machine. A protective hood 85 desirably covers thetransfer mechanism, likewise the intermittent bottle-feeding mechanismis shieldingly enclosed at the front and sides as indicated at 55x onFig. 2.

The described gearing and drive arrangement is such that during theoperation of clutch A for the four revolutions thereof as alreadydescribed the several fingers 80A, 80B and 800 travel for a distanceequal to the spacing be-- tween them, in this instance one-third thelength of the conveyor chain 30. Thus for each transfer operation onefinger, for example the finger 88A in the transfer starting position atthe lower left, Figs. 10 and 11, will be moved laterally across thetable 53 toward the right in said figures, thereby removing one row ofthe filled bottles and passing them to a delivery station as hereinrepresented by the lateral extension 83 of the main table 53. Duringeach operation of the transfer mechanism, once for each complete cycleof the machine, it will be understood that the next finger of the series80A, 80B, 80C arrives at the operative position, that occupied by finger88A in Figs. 10 and 11, in readiness to handle the next presented row offilled bottles. From the delivery station 83 the filled containers orbottles C may be taken manually but preferably pass automatically tofurther conveying means advancing them for closure, cartoning or otheroperations. Such conveyor is indicated general- 13, at 9% Figs. 10-12,running between guides SI and including a drive sprocket 92 which may bedriven from shaft 'H in time with the transfer conveyor 88 as bysuitable gearing 93.

From the foregoing description in connection with the drawings it willbe apparent that the apparatus of the invention is adapted to receivetablets from an indiscriminately arranged mass in the hopper 33 and toadvance them in controLed quantity to a continuously rotating orientingmeans by which the tablets are disposed in the feedin area ii incoplanar relation as though ina sheet. This sheet of tablets at thespace H is then subdivided into single tablet columns to which thetablets are delivered by the agitator elements 42. The individualtablets of each column are counted off and advanced by thesingle-article counters 48 and passed along via the terminal deliverychute portions Mix, a: to the row of empty containers C previouslypresented at the filling station. In the illustrated example the machineis shown as equipped with ten delivery chutes and counters whereby onerow of ten bottles C may be filled simultaneously.

It will be understood that the number of containers per filling row maybe varied and in any given machine less than the total number of chutesavailable and of container presenting channels upon the feed table maybe employed when so desired.

It is also desirable that the machine have capacity for making change inthe count of articles or tablets to be filled into the given container.The number of tablets passed on by each counter 48 during a machinecycle is determined by the number of revolutions per cycle by thecounters. For example, in the drawings, noting particularly Fig. 3, thefive-pocket star-form counters. each handle five tablets per revolution.Hence if they are to count out fifty tablets into a bottle 0 they shouldrevolve ten times during an operating cycle. To change the tablet countto give any number up to say onehundred-fifty per counter per machinecycle it is necessary merely to install the appropriate change gears50d, 50c thereby to increase or decrease the drive ratio for the severalcounter elements. Such gearing change is readily effected as evident onFig. 3, the intermediate gear 5801 being readily adjustable by reason ofthe arcuately slotted bracket and slide bolt mounting therefor wherebyit may be shifted about the axis of the larger gear 500.

The capacity of the machine for regulation of the tablet count isfurther increased in the illustrated example by variation in the camratio with respect to the drive clutches A and B. The mechanism has beendescribed by way of example as affording a ratio of 1 to as between thecams and clutches, one revolution of the cams representing one operatingcycle for the machine, clutch A being active during fourfifths of themachine cycle and clutch B during the remaining one-fifth cycle. Inaccordance with the invention the machine is adapted to afford doubleany count obtainable by means of the variable control mechanism and thepreviously mentioned 1 to 5 cam ratio. upper right portion of Fig. 5,such doubling effeet is had through the medium of the change gearingafforded by the pinion and gear pair 25, 2| while still utilizing thesame cams and cam positions. By substituting appropriate change gearssupplied for the purpose at the noted gear location 29, 2| such that thecam ratio is shifted to be 1 to 12, that is, reducing the speed of thecams relative to the clutches A and B, it is possible to double thenumber of revolutions for output shaft 3! of clutch A while stillleaving the output shaft 32 of clutch B to be revolved but once duringthe machine cycle.

This will be apparent from a consideration of the cams 23, 24, notingparticularly Fig. 1d and the timing diagram of Fig. 13. In the latterone machine cycle is represented, under the l to 5 cam to clutch ratioat the lower portion of the diagram, and under the count doubling 1 to12 ratio at the upper portion in said Fig. 13. The active and inactiveperiods of cam 24 and clutch B are indicated by the horizontal line justabove the middle of Fig. 13 while the corresponding periods for cam 23and clutch A are shown by the next lower line.

Referring first to the lower portion of Fig. 13, and the earlierdescribed 1 to 5 operating ratio, the active period for the clutch Arepresented by the raised portion of the cam 23 carries on past threerevolutions and effects disengagement of the clutch at the end of fourrevolutions during which the filling operation and also the transferoperation for the filled bottles take place. Thereupon the cam 24 ismomentarily active to engage clutch B for the ensuing one revolutionduring which the feeding of an empty row of bottles and the advancing ofthe previously filled row occur. Now comparing this with the 1 to 12ratio timing indicated by the upper line in Fig. 13, it will be seenthat during the active period of cam 23 and clutch A eight revolutionsthereof occur during which the tablet feeding and the filled bottletransfer operations are carried out. During this period two of thefingers of the transfer conveyor 80, Figs. and 11, will pass thetransfer point. The first finger, for example, finger 80A will carry offthe row of filled bottles there presented. The next finger 800 willmerely follow through the empty space at which no further bottles areyet presented during the one machine operation. Upon disengagement ofclutch A after the eight revolutions of its output shaft 3| ascontrolled by cam 23 a pause occurs, of approximately one-twelfth of thecycle in this instance, whereupon cam 24, represented by the second linein Fig. 13, becomes active and engages clutch B. Then during thefollowing onetwelfth portion of the cycle, numbered ID in the Referringto the r top line of Fig. 13, the bottle feed mechanism is actuated toadvance a row of empty bottles to the filling station on table 53 and topresent a previously filled row of bottles to the transfer station atthe transfer mechanism 80. Clutch B thereupon disengages and afteranother pause of approximately one-twelfth of the cycle the totalmachine cycle will be completed and in readiness to repeat.

It will be understood that my invention, either as to method orapparatus, is not limited to the exemplary steps or embodiments hereinillustrated or described, and I set forth its scope in my followingclaims:

1. Apparatus for automatically presenting and count-filling containerswith tablets and like articles, comprising in combination with asupporting base, a table defining a filling station for a row ofindividual containers, means to ad Vance successive rows of emptycontainers to said station and of filled containers from the station,and a tablet presenting mechanism above the table including a hopper fora random supply of tablets, a conveyor below and receiving tablets fromthe hopper, a plurality of chute channels, one for each container of arow thereof, leading downwardly to a filling point above each stationedcontainer, said channels each adapted to receive a single stack of thetablets in upright position therein, orienting and agitating means forreceiving tablets from the conveyor and effecting entry thereof into therespective chute channels, rotary means associated with each channel forindividually counting and passing a selected number of tablets to thecontainers, and driving and control mechanism for starting, operatingand'halting the tablet presenting mechanism and thereupon starting,operating and halting the container advancing means in an automaticallyrepeating cycle.

2. Container filling apparatus for tablets and the like comprising aframe, a longitudinal table of a width for a plurality of lines ofcontainers in transverse rows and defining a filling station. feed meanssimultaneously and intermittently to move an empty container row intoand a filled row out beyond the filling station to a transfer zone,tablet counting delivery means at the filling station and acting in theinterim between moves of the container feed means to deposit a selectednumber of tablets in each container of each empty row presented thereat,said delivery means including single tablet stack supporting chutespositioned each to overlie a container and rotary means in said chutessegregating individually and passing said tablets, and containertransfer means acting during operation of the tablet counting anddelivering means to move the leading filled container row at thetransfer zone away from the feed means.

3. Container filling apparatus according to claim 2 including meanswhereby the ratio of active time of the tablet counting delivery meansmay be varied relative to that of the container feed means thereby toalter the tablet filling count per container.

4. Container filling apparatus according to claim 2 including a driveclutch for the container feed means and a second drive clutch for thetablet counting delivery means and the transfer means, and unison-driventiming cams respectively controlling the drive clutches, one rotation ofthe cams defining an operating cycle comprising one movement of thecontainer feed means followed by one movement of the tablet 11 countingdelivery means and the transfer means.

5. Container filling apparatus according to claim 4 including changegears for driving the cams at one speed ratio relative to the driveclutches to give a selected tablet count per cycle and at another speedratio to double said count per cycle, the transfer means in the latterinstance acting to move out a filled row of containers during the firstpart of the cycle and moving empty during the following part.

6. Container filling apparatus for tablets and the like comprising asupporting frame, a hopper for a mass of tablets, a plurality oftransversely aligned vertical chutes for single stacks of tablets,intermittent conveyor means receiving tablets from the hopper andadvancing rough quantities thereof to the chutes, an orienting roll andantibridging means at the entrance end of the chutes, a filling stationat the exit end of the chutes, and in each chute an intermittentlyactuated rotary counter device having peripheral pockets for individualtablets whereby to count and pass to the filling station a selectednumber of tablets determined by the number of rotations per actuation ofthe counter device.

7. Apparatus for automatically presenting and count-filling containerswith tablets and like articles, comprising in combination with asupporting base, a table defining a filling station for containerspresented thereat; supporting means above the filling station for anindiscriminate mass of the tablets; feed means periodically receivingfrom the mass controlled lesser quantities of tablets and advancing themalong a r path; orienting means in the feed path taking the tablets fromsaid feed means and sub-dividing said quantity into constantlymaintained single-file tablet columns; delivery chutes for directing theadvance of such columns; rotary means associated with each chute forindividually counting and passing from the single-file 12 column thereofa positive selected number of tablets to a container at the fillingstation; and drive means for intermittently cycling the rotary means inaccordance with the selected tablet count.

8. Container filling apparatus for tablets and the like, comprising ahopper for an indiscriminate mass of the tablets and gravity feed meansadvancing intermittently along an inclined path a controlled quantity ofthe tablets from such mass; means in said path for ordering the tabletsinto a coplanar sheet; a plurality of supply chutes of single tabletwidth leading from said path to a container filling area; meansassociated with the several chutes dividing such tablet sheet intosingle tablet columns for orderly entry into each chute; a movablecounter element at the base of the tablet column in each chute pickingoff singly therefrom and passing for delivery to a container a selectednumber of the tablets; and counter element drive means intermittentlycycling the same in accordance with the selected tablet count.

References Cited in the file Of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,115,758 Whitton Nov. 3, 1914 1,383,623 Groves July 5, 19211,626,375 Alexanderson Apr. 26, 1927 2,149,461 Mundy Mar. 7, 19392,219,827 Kimball et a1 Oct. 29, 1940 2,236,890 Bower et a1. Apr. 1,1941 2,284,975 Horner June 2, 1942 85 2,307,415 Malhiot Jan. 5, 19432,467,995 Schlechter Apr. 19, 1949 2,509,069 Mrachek May 23, 1950FOREIGN PATENTS '4 Number Country Date 527,756 Great Britain Oct. 15,1940

